sleep affects workout performance

Daylight savings time is just around the corner, so it’s possible to snag an extra hour of sleep during the coveted weekend. So, what can that extra sleep do for your workout performance, anyway?

For starters, sleep is a very an important function your body needs to live. In fact, sleep is essential in maintaining optimal cardiovascular health, increasing muscle mass, and improving endurance.

But not everyone gets these benefits. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention states that more than 30 percent of Americans are sleep deprived. In fact, it’s recommended to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night, which can sometimes be difficult between home life, commutes, and work. According to the CDC, people that don’t get enough sleep have a higher risk of “developing chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and frequent mental distress.”

The amount of sleep you should get is dependent on your age group. While each individual is different, children need more sleep than adults. Researchers have determined that school-aged children should sleep for 9 to 11 hours per night, while teenagers should aim for 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night. Adults (from young adults to seniors) should get 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night.

Sleep is necessary for your body to recover from both day-to-day and strenuous activities. So, when you exercise more often, you send a signal to your body to sleep more to keep up with bodily repair. But this can work in your favor. Researcher support that moderately intense activities help people get more sleep. Exercise promotes deeper sleep and fewer awakenings throughout the night.

Adding exercise to your morning routine will benefit your body. There have been many studies that show exercise has mood-boosting effect that can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. If you exercise in the morning, you can feel more awake throughout the day. Researchers have found that exercise raises the core temperature of your body. Higher core temperatures make you feel more alert during and shortly after workouts. But exercising shortly before bed can make it difficult to fall asleep.

But if you choose not to sleep, your workout performance will suffer. Researchers have found out that sleep deprivation between 30 and 72 hours does not affect your cardiovascular system, which is necessary to perform strenuous aerobic exercise. But it does tend to affect your mental performance. In turn, this makes workouts tougher to complete. If you lose enough sleep over time, you’ll limit your maximum muscle strength output during workouts.

So, take advantage of daylight savings time and get an extra hour off sleep. It will only help you on your road to #BecomeBetter.